Mesa vs Gilbert.
Same sales tax,
different city.
Mesa and Gilbert charge the same city sales tax and share two school districts, and that is about where the match ends. Mesa is nearly twice Gilbert's size, runs its own electric and gas utility downtown, has light rail and two airports, and holds houses from every decade since the 1950s. Here is each one from the public record.
The two cities in numbers.
Every figure below comes from a government source or The Cromford Report, named at the bottom of the page. Property tax rates differ by tax area, so the table shows each city's main tax area; the full lists are on the Mesa and Gilbert pages.
| Mesa | Gilbert | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 513,656 | 287,285 |
| Population, 2020 Census | 504,258 | 267,918 |
| Land area | 138.70 sq mi | 68.57 sq mi |
| City sales tax, retail | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| Combined retail rate with state and county | 8.3% | 8.3% |
| Main property tax area, 2026 | 041000, Mesa Unified | 410600, Gilbert Unified |
| Primary rate / approx. residential primary | 5.4979 / 3.9851 | 5.2887 / 3.7759 |
| Secondary rate | 4.0559 | 3.5822 |
| Electric | City of Mesa downtown; elsewhere by address | SRP or APS, by address |
| Light rail stations | 7, on Main Street | None |
| Single-family homes | 119,685 | 82,299 |
| Condos and townhouses | 25,961 | 5,417 |
| Median single-family sale, last 12 months | $490,000 | $596,000 |
Tax rates are per $100 of assessed value. Housing counts are parcels with a recorded build year. Median prices are from The Cromford Report, data through 14 October 2026.
Sales tax and property tax.
The sales tax is a tie. Both cities charge 2.0% on retail, 8.3% with the 5.6% state rate and Maricopa County's 0.7%.
Property tax follows the tax area, and the school district is part of it. In Mesa's main tax area, Mesa Unified, Maricopa County's 2026 approximate residential primary rate is 3.9851 per $100 of assessed value. In Gilbert's main tax area, Gilbert Unified, it is 3.7759. A Mesa address in the Gilbert Unified tax area (411000) carries the same 3.7759 primary rate, with a secondary rate of 3.4522 against 3.5822 in Gilbert. Read the rate for the address, not the city.
Power, gas and water.
Mesa's own utility
The City of Mesa provides electric service to more than 18,000 customers in a territory of about 5.5 square miles that includes downtown, and natural gas to more than 82,000 homes and businesses. Outside that territory, the address decides the electric provider.
Gilbert's electric
The Town of Gilbert lists SRP and APS as the two electric utilities in town, and the address decides which one sends the bill.
Water
Mesa's water is 53% Colorado River water through the Central Arizona Project, 40% Salt and Verde river water and 7% groundwater, with more than 540,000 acre-feet stored underground. Gilbert holds a 100-year Assured Water Supply designation from the state. Its supply is 41% Central Arizona Project (Colorado River), 40% SRP (Salt and Verde rivers), 15% reclaimed and recharged water and 4% groundwater.
School districts by address.
Gilbert Unified and Higley Unified have tax areas in both cities, so a Mesa address and a Gilbert address can share a district. The address decides the district.
- Mesa:Mesa Unified, Gilbert Unified, Higley Unified and Queen Creek Unified, plus Tempe Elementary with Tempe Union.
- Gilbert:Gilbert Unified, Higley Unified, Chandler Unified and Mesa Unified.
Freeways, rail and airports.
The City of Mesa lists Loop 101, Loop 202, US 60 and State Route 87 serving the city. Gilbert has Loop 202 and US 60. Mesa has seven Valley Metro light rail stations, all on Main Street from Sycamore east to Gilbert Road. Gilbert has none.
Mesa has two airports inside the city: Falcon Field, about 6.7 miles from City Hall, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, about 12.6. Gateway is about 7.1 miles from Gilbert's Municipal Center. In a straight line, Mesa City Hall is 10.2 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor and Gilbert's center is 14.4. Check the Arizona Department of Real Estate's airport maps for any address near either airport.
Parks and open desert.
Mesa's park system
209 park properties on 2,343 developed acres, eight aquatic centers and four community fishing lakes. Riverview Park covers 155.3 acres at 2100 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., with the Cubs' spring training home, Sloan Park, inside it.
Riparian Preserve, Gilbert
110 acres at Water Ranch, 70 of them in seven water recharge basins, with more than 4.5 miles of trails, an observatory and about 298 bird species recorded on the site.
Usery Mountain
Maricopa County's Usery Mountain Regional Park sits on Mesa's northeast edge, next to the Tonto National Forest. My Usery guide ranks every named trail.
Every decade against the newer ones.
Mesa has 119,685 single-family homes and 25,961 condos and townhouses. Its west side holds the oldest stock: in 85201 and 85204, most houses were built from the 1950s through the 1980s. Its southeast corner, 85212 around Eastmark, is mostly built since 2000 and is where Mesa is still building, with 2,029 of its 2,515 houses from 2024 to 2026.
Gilbert has 82,299 single-family homes and 5,417 attached homes, most built from the mid 1980s on. County records show 860 single-family homes with a 2024 to 2026 build year. Median living area runs from 1,955 to 2,529 square feet across Gilbert's ZIPs and from 1,515 to 2,260 across Mesa's larger ones.
Prices right now.
As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median sale price over the last 12 months at $490,000 in Mesa, down 0.4% on the year, and $596,000 in Gilbert, up 0.2%. Its Market Index reads 96.2 in Mesa and 96.9 in Gilbert, both balanced, with 3.4 and 3.3 months of supply. A citywide median in Mesa mixes 1950s houses with new builds, so the comparable sales for the house you want are what count.
What each city offers.
- Mesaoffers the widest range of age and price in the East Valley: older houses on bigger lots west of downtown that you can update, a deep supply of condos and townhouses, light rail on Main Street, and new master-planned building in the southeast. The median is lower, and age and condition vary more from street to street.
- Gilbertoffers a narrower, newer stock with larger median living areas, mostly single-family, and fewer attached homes. You pay more on the median, and the houses are more alike.
- At the borderthey overlap. A southeast Mesa address can sit in the Gilbert Unified or Higley Unified tax area. I check the city, tax area, utility and HOA for every address before you write an offer.
Common questions
Is Mesa bigger than Gilbert?
Yes. The Census Bureau estimates 513,656 people in Mesa and 287,285 in Gilbert as of July 2025. Mesa covers 138.70 square miles of land, Gilbert 68.57.
Is sales tax the same in Mesa and Gilbert?
Yes. Both charge a 2.0% city retail rate, 8.3% combined with the state and Maricopa County rates.
Is it cheaper to live in Mesa or Gilbert?
On home prices, Mesa is lower. As of October 2026, The Cromford Report puts the single-family median over the last 12 months at $490,000 in Mesa and $596,000 in Gilbert.
Does Mesa have its own electric company?
In part. The City of Mesa provides electric service to more than 18,000 customers in about 5.5 square miles including downtown, and natural gas to more than 82,000 homes and businesses. Elsewhere, the address decides the provider.
Does light rail go to Gilbert?
No. Valley Metro light rail ends at Gilbert Road in Mesa, which has seven stations on Main Street. Gilbert has none.
Can a Mesa address be in Gilbert schools?
Yes. Gilbert Unified and Higley Unified both have tax areas inside Mesa. The address decides the district.
Weighing Mesa or Gilbert?
Send me the addresses you are weighing. I will pull the tax area, school district, utility, HOA and comparable sales for each. Call or text 480-485-4261. If you already have an agent under contract, ask them first.
Own a home in either city? See what the county has on file and get a real value. Looking? Search homes for sale.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Sources: population and land area, U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Mesa city and Gilbert town (Vintage 2025 estimates and the 2020 Census); sales tax, Arizona Department of Revenue State, County and City Transaction Privilege Tax Rate Table, effective 1 November 2026 (combined rates add the state, county and city retail rates); property tax, Maricopa County 2026 Tax Rates by tax area code; electric and gas, City of Mesa Energy Resources and Town of Gilbert Power Outage; water, City of Mesa Mesa's Water Supply and Town of Gilbert Water Supply; freeways, City of Mesa Office of Economic Development, Living Here; light rail, City of Phoenix Light Rail Stop map layer; airports, Arizona Department of Real Estate Airport Boundary Maps; parks, City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, Who We Are and Riverview Park, Town of Gilbert Riparian Preserve, About Us, and Maricopa County Parks Usery Mountain Regional Park; housing counts and build years, Maricopa County Assessor parcel records, counted 25 October 2026; distances, straight-line miles between published coordinates; market figures, The Cromford Report, data through 14 October 2026, credited to The Cromford Report. School districts are named, not rated. All checked 28 October 2026.